Miriam Margolyes confesses slapping her paralysed mother

Miriam Margolyes has confessed to slapping her paralysed mother in a moment of frustration.

The Harry Potter alum was "overcome with horror" after the incident, which she explained was the result of a "frenzy of frustration".

Speaking with The Sunday Times for an interview published on 22 July, Miriam, 84, was asked who she would say sorry to, if she could - and why.

"I suppose to my mother," the actress, writer and presenter replied, "because I'm gay and that upset her."

However, she added there was something else she would have liked to apologise for - hitting her mother, who at the time was immobilised and mute after suffering a stroke.

"I once, and very shockingly, slapped her," Miriam, who played Professor Sprout in the blockbuster wizarding movie franchise, recalled.

"She was paralysed from a stroke, unable to speak, and wanted something, and I was in a frenzy of frustration, and so was she."

The octogenarian shared she would rue her actions forever.

"I will regret it till I die," Miriam revealed. "The terrible thing about a stroke is that sometimes you can't communicate. And that, for both of us, was terrifying and awful. I was overcome with horror at what I'd done. I didn't hurt her, but I hurt myself."